Star Light, Shine Bright
by quiet-heart
Summary: It's Christmas Eve and Gibbs just wants to get home to his family, especially Dabi, but he's in serious trouble. A deer and black ice have resulted in a totaled car and there's a blizzard on the way. Then a trucker shows up, making a delivery run, a trucker with a bushy white beard...
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

It was Christmas Eve, it was late, and Gibbs was tired. He had just spent two hours talking to a prisoner at Rappahannock Regional Jail , a former Marine-turned-hitman-for-hire that would be transferred to a maximum security facility later that week, trying to get some information on a case he and his team had been trying to crack for weeks.

"Look, all I want to do is go home to my family," Gibbs had finally snapped at the man. "It's Christmas Eve and I've got a two-hour drive ahead of me. Now, quit wasting my damn time!"

The man, formerly Sergeant Michael Ranz, got real quiet. Finally, he nodded. "You're right, man. I'm being an ass. It sounds like the guy you want, his name is Parker Maritz. He's a leg-breaker for hire. We've crossed paths but I never cared much for his methods. I may be a hitman for hire, but I still had a code of honor, and this guy, he didn't. He enjoyed busting faces and would do extra for free if the guy was bigger than him, just to prove he could, even if there was a family involved, and especially if there was Navy or Marines involved."

"Where can we find him?" Gibbs asked, writing the information down.

"There's a bar, can't remember the name of it, but it had a funky pig with a motorcycle helmet and always smelled of barbeque. Just outside of Falls Church, I think. Think he's a regular there," Ranz admitted. "The waitress knew him by name."

Gibbs nodded. "Thank you. I'll see if I can get you a little something extra on your Christmas dinner tomorrow."

"Appreciate it, man," said Ranz.

After stopping to speak to the head prison warden and asking the man to put a little extra turkey on Ranz's plate, Gibbs stopped by a gas station to fuel up and make sure he had enough emergency supplies in case something went wrong. Then he got on the highway.

There was one problem; Gibbs had never ventured towards Rappahannock before and the map he had was a bit outdated. As for a GPS unit, he didn't have one, simply because it was "newfangled technology that was more of a hassle than it was worth," to quote him the last time Dabi had suggested it.

An hour later, he was cursing himself over it. Somehow he'd missed a turn or taken a wrong turn and now he was on a very lonely road and darkness was falling fast. The radio had reported a blizzard that was coming hard and fast through the region.

"_It promises to be a nasty one, folks, so the best thing for everyone to do is get off the roads, get inside, and bundle up tight with your friends, family, and loved ones tonight. In fact, the only guy I trust to be out there tonight is the big guy in the red suit, folks!_" said the radio announcer.

"I hear ya," Gibbs mumbled, looking around for lights, hoping to see a building or someplace he could stop and ask directions for.

But there was nothing.

Risking a glance at his cell phone, he was dismayed to note that there was very little in the way of a signal.

Then it happened.

He was trying to navigate a turn when his headlight lit up on a deer in the middle of a road. He yanked the car to one side to try and avoid it.

Then he hit black ice.

Gibbs didn't remember much after that. What he did remember was the throbbing pain in his head and shoulder from his seatbelt. There was a tree in front of him, a pine from what he could see, and it looked like the front of the car was mashed right against it.

The driver side door was covered in show up past the window and when Gibbs tried to open the door, he found it was stuck fast. The only way out was through the passenger side, maybe.

It took a bit of wiggling and a lot of cussing, but he finally got out of the car, grabbing the flashlight from the glove compartment. Then he saw the front of the car and the extent of the damage and he really started swearing.

"_That's a write-off_," he though. He brought out his cell phone, hoping to get a decent signal.

There was none, and the worst part? His cell phone battery was dying. He was in trouble and he knew it.

"_Okay, keep calm_," he told himself, trying to stem the rising panic he could feel. "_Get the emergency road lights out; that's why you bought them, remember?_"

After setting the emergency road lights out, Gibbs took out the emergency road blanket and bundled himself in it, trying to ease his shivering as he got back in the car. It was going to be a long night and he needed to try and stay awake as much as possible. The accident hadn't hurt him much, but the cold might surely kill him.

He took out the photograph he had of his daughter and stared at it. "_I'm so sorry, Dabi_," he thought. "_I'm so sorry_."

The thought repeated over and over in his head, even as the temperatures dropped and the car battery died.

It was dark, real dark, and when Gibbs looked out the passenger window, the sky was clear enough he could see the stars. One star in particular seemed to shine the brightest.

A song came to mind, one he'd heard while watching an old Christmas comedy movie with Dabi.

_"Star light, shine bright_

_See me through the dark night._

_Light my pathway_

_Guide me home for Christmas Day_."

"I'm so sorry," he whispered, feeling the heady feeling of sleep coming on. Maybe if he just slept for a little while, he'd feel better and the night would go by faster...

Then he blinked, not sure what he was seeing. There was a little red light coming down the road towards him. As he watched, that little red light grew bigger and bigger, then a pair of bright headlights appeared.

They stopped near his location.

A moment later, a huge shadow appeared at his window and someone rapped on the glass.

"_Hey, buddy! You okay in there?_"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

It was getting late and Dabi was worried. The last message she'd gotten from her father said he was leaving Rappahannock Regional Jail and would be home in about two hours. He was planning on stopping at a gas station to fuel up on gas and supplies on the way and would contact her again at a rest stop along the way, hopefully in about an hour.

Then nothing. An hour came and went. Dabi had been tempted to ask Tim if he could track her father's cell phone but then she remembered he was away, visiting his family, and wouldn't be back until after Christmas. Tony was the same, and so was Ellie. There was Abby, but Dabi was reluctant to cause an alarm just yet.

So she waited, her phone tucked in her back pocket.

It would be Dabi's first Christmas without Pop-Pop and both she and Nana knew it. Despite their best efforts, things just didn't feel quite right without him.

"I miss him," she admitted to Leo, who was home that night. School was out for the holidays and a lot of his 'patients' were with family or friends. "We always used to close a bit early on Christmas Eve and have a staff party and he always showed up with presents and stuff for the staff and their families, even though we were Jewish."

"Has Nana said anything?" Leo asked, cuddling her close as they watched the snow fall from bakery windows.

"No, not really. I think she's missing him just as badly," Dabi admitted. "We've lit the menorah, the way we've always done, but you saw yourself the problem. Pop-Pop always lit the first one. That was why Nana invited you to light the first one."

"And I was honored to do so," Leo admitted. "Do you have any other traditions?"

"There was the blessings, which we've done, the sweets, which the bakery has been making all month, tree is up, the mistletoe is up, as you may recall (she blushed at the memory of the kiss she'd gotten from him the first time), and the fruitcake is ready ..." She sighed, trying to remember. "Dad does a toy delivery to one of the children's hospitals; you've seen them."

Leo chuckled. "Yeah, I got roped in to painting a few. That was fun, though."

"Are you still going to pop by Dad's place tomorrow?"

"Oh you bet, sweetheart. How's your dad handling the fact that this is the first Christmas without his dad?"

"I think he misses him. From what he told me, just before Grandpa Jack died, they were finally starting to make peace after years of strain between them."

"Well, that's good." He glanced up at the card string that was behind the bakery counter. "I see you got another card."

"Yeah, from Hawaii. You remember me telling you about Danny Williams?"

"One of the guys from that Five-O special task force that helped save you?" Leo asked, trying to remember.

"That's him. The card is from him and his daughter, Grace. They're both doing okay, except to mention that Danny's brother, Matt, was deceased (he didn't say and I don't think I'll ask) and Grace thought the pictures of Sara were cute. Danny also asked me to pass on a message to you. He said that you seem like a decent guy but hurt me and you'll have a problem if you ever decide to go to Hawaii."

Leo chuckled. "I heard you yell when you opened the mail this morning. What happened?"

"That was from Chris LaSalle. He sent me a giant rubber spider that popped out of a box. Scared the heck out of me," she admitted. "There was a card with it and it said the spider was just the first."

"What did you do to him?"

"All the classics," she said, grinning. "And from the message I got from Brody and King, it was a shocking surprise."

Leo groaned at the pun. "Have you heard from your dad lately?" he asked.

"No, and I'm worried. I can't shake the feeling that something's wrong," she admitted. "The weather network says there's a blizzard coming, the kind that you stay inside for."

"And he's not home yet, and you're worried he may not be home in time," Leo guessed.

"I'm terrified he might not come home at all," she confessed. "I remember waiting and waiting for my mom to come home that last time, and not understanding why she wasn't home the next morning. I don't want to go through that again."

"Knowing him, he's got his cell phone with him. We could always ask Tim or Abby to track him," Leo offered.

"I've been tempted, but I don't want to cause an alarm just yet. Don't think Tim's quite forgiven me for the heart attack I gave him with regards to Sara."

Leo snickered. Then a thought came to him. "Have you ever thought about creating your own traditions?"

"You mean like the mistletoe one? That was fun and I wouldn't mind a repeat of that," she said, grinning.

Leo laughed and gave her a kiss that nearly curled her toes. When he finally released her, he said, "Actually, I was wondering if you wanted to put a candle or a lamp in the window for Pop-Pop and your dad. It's something my gram used to do for Gramps and Mom did for Dad when they were away. The idea behind it was so that there would always be a light to guide them home on the longest night of the year, for both the living and in remembrance of the dead. The story in the family is that my great-great grandmother did that for her husband when he was away in the army on Christmas Eve, and the women in the family have continued to do that every Christmas Eve."

Dabi thought about that for a moment. "I like that idea," she admitted. "There's a oil lamp that would do perfectly for that."

"Then let's go do that and we'll put it in the bakery window until we close and then move it to our living room window afterwards."

Dabi nodded and they went to get the lamp. While they were in the apartment, Dabi spotted Nana by the window, looking at a photograph of Pop-Pop with sadness and longing on her face. She went over to the older woman and put her arms around her.

"I miss him too, Nana," she admitted, trying not to cry. "There's not a day that I don't wish he was here."

"Sometimes I wonder what he'd think of this, of what's been done," Nana admitted, holding on to the girl tightly.

"I think he'd be proud, and I think he'd adore Sara. I know he liked Dad and I think he'd like Leo."

"I think so too. It's just at times like this that I miss him the most."

Dabi nodded, hugging her just as tightly as she was being hugged.

Leo glanced their way and decided to leave them alone for a moment, sensing they were both quietly grieving. Then, after a moment, he tapped Nana gently on the shoulder.

"We're about to light a lamp and put it in the window for Pop-Pop and Jethro. It's an old family tradition of mine. Would you like to join us? It was my family's way of remembering those who couldn't be here with us, and shining a light for the lost on the longest night of the year."

"I like that," Nana said, nodding. "I shall join you and we shall light the lamp."

In the bakery, Dabi called the staff and Owen and his family to the front of the store. The oil lamp was a nice fifteen inch tall brass lamp with a mug-style base, a style known as a Railroad Agent oil lap. It would burn safely for several hours without needing to be refuelled.

"Oh Lord, we ask that the light shine bright so that all that are lost can find their way home this night. Bring them home safe, where they belong, all of them. In Your Name, Amen," said Leo, watching as Nana lit the lamp's wick.

"Amen," everyone said.

Together, he and Nana carefully placed the lamp on a display pedestal in the center of the window. Now all that was left to do was wait, and as far as Dabi was concerned, that was the hardest part of all.

"_Please, Lord, " _Dabi prayed._ "Bring my dad home. Just bring him home. That's all I ask._"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Gibbs nearly jumped out of his seat at the noise. Then his brain kicked in long enough for him to start pushing at the door.

"I'm here!" he called, desperation setting in. "I'm here!"

"_Hang on there, son; I'll get you out_," said the shadow.

A moment later the door was pulled open and Gibbs found himself being pulled out of the car, clutching Dabi's photo tightly. His stiff and frozen muscles protested at the movement and he stumbled. Someone with thick arms caught him and then his knees nearly buckled when a huge, heavy coat landed across his shoulders. The coat was so big it went to his knees and made him feel like a kid wearing his father's coat.

"Come on, buddy. Let's get you in the truck and get you warmed up," said the gentle voice.

He found himself being firmly but gently guided towards the lights. He saw what looked like the shiny metal of a huge semi-truck grille and then, eyes going wide, he saw the truck hood ornament. It looked like a big chrome leaping deer or reindeer and Gibbs could have sworn the nose was glowing bright red. Then something weird happened; the reindeer appeared to turn its head and nod at him before going back to its original position.

Gibbs blinked in confusion, sure he was seeing things. Confusion, that was one of the signs of severe hypothermia, he vaguely remembered.

Then there was the sound of a door opening, followed by a rush of warm air. Groaning in pain, Gibbs, with a bit of help from his rescuer, managed to clamber in to the truck cab, for it turned out it was a semi-truck cab, and a big one from the looks of it. The door shut and a moment later, his rescuer appeared, climbing in to the driver side. Turning, Gibbs managed to finally get a look at his rescuer.

The man was big, with muscled arms and a large, potbelly stomach. He wore a red, white, and green plaid long-sleeve shirt under black pants, suspenders, and heavy work boots. He had a neatly-trimmed white beard and white hair and he smiled at Gibbs as he reached in to the back of the cab and pulled out what looked like a large coffee thermos. When he opened the thermos, steam rose from the inside, and Gibbs watched as he poured what looked like hot chocolate with marshmallows in to a huge ceramic mug. He handed this to Gibbs and Gibbs wrapped his hands around it eagerly, feeling the heat, before taking a careful mouthful.

"Drink up, son. My wife always make sure I have lots of hot chocolate when I do these runs," said the man.

"Thank you," Gibbs finally got out, feeling the heat from the hot chocolate and the warmth from the coat and the truck starting to work its way through his body.

The man smiled. "You're safe now. Rest. We'll get you home." He put the truck in gear and with a lurch, the truck moved forward, gradually picking up speed.

Gibbs finished the hot chocolate and found himself getting sleepy again. He tried to fight it but found he couldn't.

"Don't fight it this time, son. It's the good kind of sleep and it'll help you," the man assured him.

Gibbs nodded and gave in to the lure of sleep. As he did, when he was at that point between sleep and wake, he thought he heard something that his rational mind could not make sense of.

"Papa Bear to Mama Bear; I found him. He'll be okay now and we're on the road again. Over," said the man.

A moment later, a radio crackled and a female voice spoke.

"_Mama Bear here. Glad to hear it, Papa Bear. We'll let Dabi know. Over_."

How did his rescuer know about Dabi? Gibbs wondered briefly.

Then the man said, "Okay, boys and girls; let's get this show on the road. Up and away we go!"

And Gibbs, who had flown in plenty of planes, felt the slight lurch and hit of g-forces hitting him in the chest as the truck suddenly leaped forward. Before he could think too much about that, sleep finally claimed him and he sighed. Just before it did completely, Gibbs swore he heard the man say something to him.

"_You've helped me over the years, Leroy; now it's my turn to help you_."

_At the bakery:_

Dabi was at the counter, doing the final tallies for the night when a small, pudgy hand appeared and tapped the counter. She jumped, startled, before peering over the edge of the counter.

It was a man, with black hair and a black mustache, wearing a knit hat and coat. He stood just over three feet, and the counter was about a foot taller than he was.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't see you there. Can I help you?" Dabi asked, coming around the counter to kneel in front of him.

"Are you Dabi?" the man asked.

"I am."

"Got a message for you. Your dad got lost and was in a bit of an accident, but he's been found and he's okay now. He's on his way home and he'll meet you at his place tonight," said the man.

"How do you know?" Dabi asked, feeling her heart rate speed up.

"A trucker found him. Cell phones are down because of the blizzard, but CB radios still work pretty good," said the man. He reached out and patted her on the shoulder. "Your dad will be just fine; he'll be home in time for Christmas morning. You'll see."

The man turned to go but Dabi said, "Wait! Can I get you something to go?"

The man smiled. "Nah, I'm good," he said. "Thanks anyway." Just as he was about to leave, he turned and looked at Dabi. "You and your family, especially your dad; you guys do good work. Keep it up."

Before Dabi could say anything, the little man was gone, the door closing around the swirling snow.

Dabi blinked, then got up and yelled for Leo and Nana. It was time to stop worrying and start getting ready.

_Back on the road:_

Gibbs woke up when the truck thumped gently, much like that of a plane landing. Groaning, he stretched, feeling muscles protest at the action.

His head felt clearer and he felt warmer. He looked at his yet-unnamed rescuer, who glanced at him and smiled.

"You feeling better?" the man asked.

"Yeah. Yeah, thanks," said Gibbs. He looked around at his surroundings. The cab was large, brightly lit, and his seat was very comfortable. He spotted a fully-equipped dashboard with an assortment of dials and screens, all within easy reach of the driver. The steering wheel was big, shiny, and black, and had a shiny chrome middle, and was easily held by both hands by the driver.

The coat he was still bundled in was dark green with grey-white fur, and reflective stripes on the shoulders, waist, and wrists. It was just as huge as he'd imagined it, going well past his hands. Once again he was reminded of a kid wearing his dad's coat and he grinned at the mental image.

"I'm Jethro Gibbs," he said.

"Nick Claus," said the man. "Pleasure to meet you."

"Where are we?" Gibbs asked.

"Just approaching a military base. Have to do a delivery there, then we'll be on our way again," said Nick.

As Gibbs watched, the headlights lit up a set of closed metal gates and a guard shack. The truck rumbled to a stop and a young man in Marine winter uniform appeared, carrying a rifle and a flashlight.

_What exactly was this guy delivering?_


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Halt!" said the young Marine guard, lowering his weapon and aiming it at the truck.

Nick lowered his window. "Easy there, son," he called. "I'm just here to deliver my load."

The Marine's brow furrowed. "We're not expecting anything, especially at this time of night," he called.

Nick chuckled. "I think you are. Check your records; I come here every year at about this time."

"I'll have to check with my commander," said the Marine, heading for the guard shack.

"What exactly do you have in the back there?" Gibbs asked, curiously.

"Toys," said Nick.

"Toys," Gibbs repeated. He reached for his badge, finding it where he knew it was supposed to be; in the inside of his coat. Holding it up, he flashed the badge at Nick, who smiled at him.

"You're welcome to check, son. In fact, I encourage it," said Nick.

Gibbs struggled to get out of the giant coat and got out of the truck, snagging his flashlight from inside his coat and yanking on his gloves. Heading for the back of the sixty foot-long white trailer, Gibbs saw red running lights along the sides. It was a big trailer, both in length and in height.

"_This thing had toys?_" Gibbs wondered.

It only took him a moment to open the door. As he did, a small, soft teddy bear fell out and Gibbs caught it before it hit the ground. It was a cute little caramel-colored teddy bear with a firmly attached bow around the neck, shiny black eyes, and a stitched white little nose, _something Sara would like_, Gibbs thought, smiling at the thought. He tucked the bear under his arm as he clambered inside. Shining the flashlight around, he spotted rows and rows of crates that were as high as his armpits and they were full of toys of all shapes and sizes, all sitting on wooden pallets. He put the bear in one the bins as he looked around.

As far as he could see, there was nothing but toys.

As he climbed down from the truck, Nick was waiting for him.

"Who are you, really?" Gibbs demanded.

Nick chuckled, shutting the doors to the trailer. "I work for the Big Guy. There's so many families now that he can't do all the work in one night. People like us, we help out," he explained. "Just like you do."

"How do you know about that?" Gibbs asked.

Nick smiled. "We all know, Leroy, and it's appreciated. You and your family, you're one of the good ones."

Gibbs nodded, satisfied for now. "I'll see if I can help speed things along here," he offered, heading back to the guard shack.

He was approaching the guard shack when an older-looking Marine came out.

"Agent Gibb, NCIS," he said, holding up his badge. "This fellow's with me."

The Marine, showing the rank of First Sergeant on his uniform coat sleeve, chuckled. "Don't worry, Agent Gibbs. This young fellow didn't know about Mr. Claus. I did, however, and you're running a bit behind, Old Man."

"Had to pick up a friend who got a bit lost," said Nick, smiling.

The younger Marine, showing the rank of Lance Corporal on his sleeve, looked at his superior officer in confusion.

"I don't understand, sir," he admitted.

"This fellow, here, shows up every year on this night, at about this time. He has a special delivery for us and the families her," the First Sergeant explained. "I have no doubt either he or another driver will be here again next year at about the same time. Been that way for as long as I can remember." He shoved his coat sleeve up and glanced at his watch. "Get the gates open, Corporal; the man's got a schedule to keep."

Nodding eagerly, the young guard scrambled to do as ordered while Gibbs and Nick got back in the truck. The gates parted and Nick moved the truck in to gear. He went down a road he clearly knew well, and when Gibbs glanced in the mirrors, it was to discover a small vehicle following them.

"Looks like we may have help," he commented.

"That'll be good; get things done a bit faster," said Nick. "I appreciate the back-up."

"You helped me. The least I can do is help you," said Gibbs.

He watched as Nick backed the trailer up to a warehouse with the ease of someone having done it for years.

"Okay, boys, lets unload," said Nick.

"You direct, I follow," said Gibbs, climbing out of the truck.

It was about ten minutes of hard work, but it was worth it, Gibbs decided later. Between him and the eager Lance Corporal, they managed to unload at least ten big bins of toys. According to the Sergeant, they would be distributed to the families in about an hour or so.

"Take care out there, Old Man," said the Sergeant, shaking Nick's hand.

"Always son, always," said Nick. He smiled at the Lance Corporal. "And you, you always were a mischievous young man. Never could get you to go to sleep when you were supposed to. Glad to see that's come in handy now."

The lance corporal grinned. "I don't know how you knew that sir, but if I'm still at the gate this time next year, I'll be waiting for you."

"Good to know," said Nick.

He and Gibbs climbed in to the truck. "Let's get this show on the road boys."

And once again, they were off.

As they drove, Gibbs peered out the windows. The snow was starting to fall thick and fast, making it almost impossible to see more than several feet ahead, yet Nick seemed to know exactly where he was going. For about half an hour, they rode in comfortable silence, until Nick offered him a chocolate chip cookie.

"My wife always makes sure I have plenty of these when I'm doing these runs," Nick explained, munching on one himself.

"That's good of her," said Gibbs.

"It's appreciated. Good women are hard to find," said Nick. "But she tells me that as long as I keep loving her like I've always done, she'll keep being there when I need her."

"That's all we can ever ask."

"I noticed you holding a picture. Is that your daughter?" Nick asked.

"Yeah, that's Dabi. Funny thing is, up until about over a year ago, almost two years, I didn't even know she existed. Now I can't even imagine my life without her in it," Gibbs admitted, pulling out the photograph. "She's a good kid, but she's had to take on so much so fast." He thought back, remembering. "She's done things, had to do things, that I wouldn't wish on any girl her age. A few times I thought I was going to lose her."

"But you didn't," Nick noted.

"No, I didn't. She met this really good guy, Leo. He helped her. He managed to reach her where we couldn't."

"What does he do?"

"He's training to be a physical therapist and is working with wounded veterans and military personnel. He helps Dabi and Owen, her business partner, run a program that helps veterans who've had to leave the service learn new skills, like baking or construction, thanks to Owen's wife, Mary."

"Is Leo good at what he does?"

"From what he tells me, he's had plenty of experience even before he set foot inside a classroom."

"So he knows how to reach the wounded," Nick guessed, "which explains how he knew how to reach your daughter." He nodded. "He's a good one."

After that, the topic changed to places Gibbs had seen and some of the fun things he'd gotten himself in to with Dabi. He wasn't sure how long they talked because Gibbs lost track of time.

Then the familiar lights of Washington, D.C. began to show. Excitement surged in Gibbs.

"I'm almost home," he said eagerly.

"That you are, son. Just tell me where to go and I'll get you right to your doorstep," said Nick.

Gibbs directed him and soon found himself on the quiet street of his home.

"Thank you for saving my life and bringing me home. I really appreciate this," Gibbs said, offering his hand.

Nick shook it, showing a firm hand with work-callused fingers and palms.

"You take care of yourself, son, and keep up the good work," said Nick. "And I'll see you around next year at about this time."

"Yes sir," said Gibbs. He scrambled out of the truck and headed for his home, seeing a welcoming light in the main front window. When he turned to look back to wave at the truck, he was shocked to realize the truck was gone.

His brow furrowed.

Yes, it was snowing, but it wasn't snowing heavily enough or fast enough to cover up any tracks. But Gibbs couldn't see any tracks in the road, tracks that should have come from a large semi truck with a trailer. Instead, the only tracks he could see were his own and even they were starting to vanish in the falling snow.

What the hell had just happened?

Gibbs yanked up the sleeve of his coat, looking for his watch. It was just after midnight, meaning it was officially Christmas Day. That meant it had been over seven hours since he left Rappahannock Regional Jail and had his accident.

Feeling like he'd just come out of a fog, Gibbs headed inside.

There, cuddled on the couch together in their pajamas, were Dabi and Amira, his goddaughter. Amira's mother, Leyla, was probably in the guest room.

Feeling his chest swell, Gibbs carefully covered the girls with a blanket.

Dabi stirred and then woke up enough to look up at him.

"_You're home,_" she signed.

He smiled down at her, nodding.

"_Good. I got your message, the one about a trucker finding you and you being in an accident_," she signed.

Gibbs brow furrowed, trying to remember. Yes, there had been an accident, he was sure of that. After that, things got a bit blurred.

"_I'm home safe; that's what matters_," he signed back.

"_Yup. Love you_," she signed, gripping his hand tightly.

"_Love you too,_" he signed back, before kissing her forehead. "_Go to sleep; I'll be here in the morning_," he promised.

Dabi nodded and snuggled back under the blanket with a still-sleeping Amira.

Gibbs, after taking off his coat and shoes, and put his gun and badge away in the safe, went to the guest room, where Leyla was sleeping, and gently woke her up. After getting a welcoming hug from her and assuring her he was okay, they got to work getting hidden presents out and under the tree.

It didn't take long and both he and Leyla were soon done. Leo would join them later in the day, and so would Owen, Mary, and Sara.

Before he went to bed, satisfied that everything that needed to be done was done, Gibbs stopped and watched Dabi and Amira sleep.

Gibbs was sure the car would be a write-off and that would be fun to explain to the accounting and insurance and human resources offices later, but that was later. Right now though, the most important thing was that he was home safe, and that his girls were warm and safe. He had a solid roof over his head and his home was warm and filled with people who cared about him and whom he cared about.

In the morning he would find a brightly painted wooden toy semi-truck, complete with trailer, on the mantel of his fireplace, and he would wonder how it got there and wonder if what he dimly remembered was real or just a figment of his sever hypothermia-related mind.

But that would be in the morning.

He went to the living room window and glanced outside. For a moment, the sky cleared and the clouds parted and for a moment, just a moment, Gibbs swore he saw a star shining brightly through the clouds.

He smiled.

_"Star light, shine bright_

_See me through the dark night._

_Light my pathway_

_Guide me home for Christmas Day_."

Yeah, he was home, it was Christmas Day, and everything was all right in his world. In the morning, there would be excitement and presents and laughter, but for now, Gibbs was at peace in his world.

The End


End file.
